A waveguide may be broadly defined to include any system that is configured to modify the properties of a wave. For example, the ear canal may be described as a waveguide configured to direct variations in pressure to the ear drum. As another example, a fiber optic cable may be described as a waveguide configured to direct light along the length of the cable.
In addition to receiving signals and transmitting information, waveguides are generally employed in directed energy systems. In these systems, a waveguide is generally coupled to a wave beam generator. The waveguide is configured to transmit the output wave beam to an antenna system which in turn transmits the wave beam to a target.
Directed energy systems may include specialized waveguide systems. For example, a mode conversion system is usually disposed within the wave beam generator. As another example, a wave beam conditioning system is usually disposed external to the wave beam generator to enhance the properties of the converted wave beam.
Existing systems used to transmit the wave beam generally include an internal mode converter, an external beam conditioner, and a waveguide. These systems are often expensive in that the manufacturer of the generator is generally required to custom construct the internal mode converter. Further, these systems are generally complex to align in that they include a set of reflective surfaces dedicated to the internal mode converter, a second set of reflective surfaces dedicated to the external beam conditioner, and a third set of reflective surfaces dedicated to the waveguide.